A Mystery that I'll Never Solve
by EshtarWind
Summary: He found her looking at the album, a memory that was lost. Family slight Ned/Nancy


**Author's Note: Alright, so I am supposed to be studying but I cannot take it anymore, I just had to! T.T Don't ask, really. Just read…**

**Disclaimer: Nancy Drew and the rest of the characters belong to their respective author…**

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**The Mystery That I'll Never Solve  
A Nancy Drew Fic**

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_If our arms had stayed together without parting  
What would we have seen?  
How far have my feet gone  
From that place?_

_**Amano Tsukiko : Utakata**_

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The very last wave was given as he watched Bess and George disappeared by the end of the sidewalk. Both were very eager to go to the party in Bayport, he could see. Well, they were never absent in any party (especially Bess, and George was there because Bess were), as far as he recalled. Ned turned and looked at the wooden door of his detective. Perhaps she was busy with another case? It was also a kind of strange for Nancy not to be with her two friends.

He knocked the door twice, smiling at Hannah who opened the door, then walked in. Hannah said Bess and George just left. He knew, he said. He met them on the way here.

"Nancy is in her room," Hannah smiled. "She has been there since breakfast."

Ned only nodded. After a short remark, Ned took the steps to the place where the blonde girl was. He knocked at the door that he got accustomed to for years of togetherness and got no answer. Curious, he finally pushed the door open himself.

She was there.

Sitting by the side of her bed, she didn't even move as he stepped in. Her neat bedroom was somehow untidy now. Books, files, and albums scattered here and there. Perhaps it was the work of the cousins? Or not? Ned's eyes fell to her eventually, examining her feature silently.

An album was open by her lap and she was staring at the photos without moving. It was as if she was in a trance. There was almost no other movement than her breathing.

It was moments later until she blinked then realized there was another person in her room.

"Ned!"

Nancy smiled at him and quickly stood, putting the albums to the bed. She gave Ned a short hug then hurriedly bent to tidy her files and albums on the floor. Ned helped her almost simultaneously.

"You surprised me! Why didn't you knock?" Her eyes glimmered as she looked at him. He smiled and said, "I had. Didn't you hear it?"

She shook her head and a laugh came escaping her lips.

"I guess I'm a little preoccupied. I'm sorry for that."

"No problem," Ned smiled, giving her a stack of files. She ordered them carefully then placed them on top of her desk. He looked at the album then couldn't help but to ask her. "What are you looking?"

"Oh… this?" She picked up the old album. Suddenly her eyes turned dreamy. "Just… an old album I happened to find when Bess and George came…"

Ned took a step closer then peered from her head. The photos in the album were old and already turned yellowish. But he could see the woman in the picture, a woman who had left her years ago, even before Nancy could remember.

"That is…"

"Her, yes," She nodded faintly. She slowly took a seat by the side of her bed again, didn't take a single glance away from the album. "I never knew I have her photo all these times, Ned."

"Nance…" Ned sat beside her. He wanted to hug her but it didn't seem like the time to. She looked so distant, he wouldn't dare to get closer. He looked at the album again. "She looked… just like everyone said she was."

Nancy laughed.

"That means I look just like her, right?" The detective chuckled. "You choose your words carefully, Nickerson."

"Well, I just don't want to hurt the feelings of Miss Drew," Ned grinned. Nancy smiled at him. She then looked at the album again, tracing her fingers over the photo.

"But then… I _do_ look like her…" her voice turned faint. "That's a little… something…"

Ned stayed silent. He knew exactly what that meant. She never could remember how her mother looked like, how her mother used to be. All she knew about her were everything from what Hannah told her, what Mr. Drew told her, what everyone else in River Heights told her. She was a fine woman, they said. Too bad she passed away in such a young age… Such a pity that she passed away before looking at her brilliant daughter's achievements… before watching her grow into a fine lady… But nobody said that it was such a pity she passed away before letting her little daughter knew her at all. The memories of her mother were something that Nancy couldn't ever recall. No matter how much Carson Drew loves his daughter; a mother was still something that was lost.

"Whenever I have nothing to do, I tried hard to remember her," said Nancy slowly. Her eyes flew to the window of her room. "And I somehow never could… It was strange… I could remember all my cases clearly; every clues, every files… but I just can't remember her… No matter what Dad said, I just… can't… I wonder why."

"Just like a mystery," Ned smiled. Nancy turned to look at him. Her blue eyes softened. She smiled.

"Yes… just like a mystery."

The ones that she loves. Solving them was what makes her loves them. She took a deep breath and a smile curved up her lips.

"A mystery that I will never solve."

Ned smiled and turned the pages of the album. He looked into her eyes.

"Do you want to?"

Nancy smiled. Her eyes shimmered.

"… Perhaps I don't."

Just so that the mystery lingered in her heart, as a mystery that she loved the most.

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The End  
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**Author's Note: Aside from Carson Drew, I don't know Nancy's parents. They never write her either, but I guess it's something that is important for Nancy's personalities (alright, I mean kind of "real life" Nancy… aside the oh-so-perfect cheerful one they write). Well, figured that I'll write angsty Nancy. Lol. Anyway… I really got to study now. (pssst, Haunting of Castle Malloy can wait, can't it? XDDDD) bye…**


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